Why we grow into and out of allergies is a mystery, but doctors are uncovering treatments to get your sneezing, itching, and other allergy symptoms under control.

Don't Miss This

Allergies, it seems, are anything but predictable. Children can have an allergy and then, later in life, symptoms such as sneezing or itchy eyes will disappear. Conversely, adults can suddenly develop allergies, too. But while doctors know that allergies can change, why we grow into and out of an allergy is a bit of a mystery.

"In general, as kids get older they can grow out of allergies," says New York-based allergist Clifford W. Bassett, MD, a clinical instructor in the division of infectious diseases and immunology at the New York University School of Medicine. "But there's a whole world where, for millions of people, that's not the case. Some people even grow into allergies. Mature adults, even in their fifties and eighties, come into my office with a variety of allergies."

Allergy Causes: An Overactive Immune System

An oversensitive immune system is what causes an allergy. Your immune system is designed to protect your body against harmful substances such as viruses. But if your immune system is overly sensitive, it reacts to allergens such as pollen, pet dander, and specific foods.

One way your body reacts to these allergens is to increase mucus production, which creates the sneezing, nasal swelling, itchiness in your nose and eyes, and other symptoms. More serious allergies, including food allergies, can even cause a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis.

How allergy sufferers react to allergens can vary from person to person, though doctors don't know exactly why. By the same token, allergies can vary in the same individual from one season to another or from one allergen to another. For instance, you might sneeze when you are near one cat, but not another.

"There is a fluctuation of allergy symptoms," says Dr. Bassett. "The severity and level of allergy symptoms can vary throughout the year and from one dog [or other allergen] to the next."

Food Allergy: Going, Going, Gone for Good?

If you’re the parent of a child with food allergies, you’re probably wondering if these allergies will ever go away. It depends. Until recently, most allergists thought that children with milk allergies would outgrow them by age 3 or 4. But a recent study by doctors at Johns Hopkins University showed that the majority of kids won’t outgrow milk allergies until much later, possibly as late as age 16.

Allergies to soy, eggs, and wheat will often be outgrown by the time the child is a teenager. However, if children are allergic to peanuts or tree nuts such as walnuts, pecans, and almonds, there is a good chance — about 80 percent for peanuts and 90 percent for tree nuts — that they will remain allergic as adults.

Your allergist can often determine if your child has outgrown an allergen by doing blood tests or by carefully giving your child a small amount of the food while observing the child in the office or in a hospital. This should only be done under medical supervision — never at home.

Sneezing: Just One of Many Allergy Symptoms

Your allergy symptoms can vary a lot, but may include one or any combination of the following:

Breathing problems

Burning, tearing, or itchy eyes

Conjunctivitis (red, swollen eyes)

Coughing

Headache

Hives

Itching of the nose, mouth, throat, skin, or any other area

Runny nose

Skin rashes

Sneezing

Wheezing

These symptoms can and do change as you age. "As you get older, there's a certain amount of drying [out], and the body seems to overproduce mucus to try to moisturize the body," Bassett says. "We treat this symptom with various nasal moisturizers."

Other treatments include antihistamines, nasal sprays, and allergy shots, but the treatment will depend on your particular symptoms. For example, there are both short-acting and longer-acting antihistamines. Both types are available over-the-counter (OTC) at a pharmacy and include such products as Benadryl, Claritin, and Zyrtec.

Allergy Symptoms: Still Sneezing? Try This …

If antihistamines don't do the trick, doctor-prescribed nasal corticosteroid sprays such as Flonase or Nasonex may work. Don't confuse these corticosteroid sprays with OTC nasal decongestant sprays that quickly relieve a stuffy nose; OTC aids shouldn't be used for more than two to three days because they can be addictive. Corticosteroid sprays, on the other hand, don’t work immediately, but if used regularly can keep symptoms away.

Whether you are young or old, if sneezing or other allergy symptoms just won't quit, consider allergy shots.

"Most patients who get allergy shots for two to four years can discontinue them after a period of maintenance is achieved,” says Bassett. “If you do the regimen properly, you get the long-term benefit. It's the closest thing to a cure that we have."

This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.

Advertising Notice

This Site and third parties who place advertisements on this Site may collect and use information about
your visits to this Site and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of
interest to you. If you would like to obtain more information about these advertising practices and to make
choices about online behavioral advertising, please click here.